Archive for December 7th, 2010

Michael Young’s vision? Harold Wilson’s pet?

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

On his blog Labour Party activist Paul Richards argues that modern Britain has been shaped by the movements and institutions that Michael Young (1915-2002) inspired. Young, he suggests 

added to the sum of civil society by launching new entrants to it. By empowering individuals through new forms of organization, he hoped to build new forms of egalitarian community… Young’s ideas were often the spark, but his gift was to be able to cut loose his creations as fast as possible, and allow new people to take over. He launched ships; he didn’t captain them.

While  a recognition of Young’s enthusiasm to broaden educational opportunities is welcome, there may be some who will take issue with Paul Richards proposal that The Open University is one of a number of institutions which ‘owe everything to Young’s vision’. (more…)

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Voice of America

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
William Burnett Benton (1900-1973) was a US Assistant Secretary of State from 1945 to 1947 and a United States senator from 1949 to 1953. He also promoted teaching through radio. For example he was very supportive of the educational radio programme ‘The University of Chicago Round Table’ (see See  Cynthia B. Meyers, ‘From Radio Adman to Radio Reformer: Senator William Benton’s Career in Broadcasting, 1930–1960’, Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 16, 1, 2009, pp. 17 – 29).  The reason he features here is that he was an enthusiast for the Open University and very close to Harold Wilson. (more…)

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